The reason why I love people, and writing about them, is because they don't always respond with hate and anger. If they did I wouldn't have a story to tell. Who wants to know about someone who was brutalised and became brutal? I'm interested in the exceptions.

Happiness comes from... some curious adjustment to life.

Hugh Walpole

Everything want to be loved. Us sing and dance and holler, just trying to be loved.

Alice Walker

It goes against the grain of modern education to teach students to program. What fun is there to making plans, acquiring discipline, organizing thoughts, devoting attention to detail, and learning to be self critical.

Alan Perlis

The real difference between a man's scientific judgments about himself and the judgment of others about him is he has added sources of knowledge.

Edward Thorndike

If you've got to my age, you've probably had your heart broken many times. So it's not that difficult to unpack a bit of grief from some little corner of your heart and cry over it.

Emma Thompson

Desire is what lends power to thought, it is that element that separates a wish or a day dream into reality, if properly directed.

Stephen Richards

We need wilderness whether or not we ever set foot in it. We need a refuge even though we may never need to go there.... We need the possibility of escape as surely as we need hope.

Edward Abbey

Appearance is something you should definitely consider when you're going out. Have your girlfriend clip your nails or something like that.

Usher

As for the spirit of poverty, I do not remember any moment when it was not in me, although only to that unhappily small extent compatible with my imperfection. I fell in love with Saint Francis of Assisi as soon as I came to know about him. I always believed and hoped that one day Fate would force upon me the condition of a vagabond and a beggar which he embraced freely. Actually I felt the same way about prison.

Simone Weil, letter written in M

I was on Oprah's show recently talking about the people who impacted me the most. One was a teacher and one was my soccer coach. I didn't even go into my family, who had the most influence.

Andrew Shue

If any of you should ask me for an epitome of the Christian religion, I should say that it is in one word - prayer. Live and die without prayer, and you will pray long enough when you get to hell.

Charles Spurgeon

It is the child of avarice, the brother of iniquity, and the father of mischief.

George Washington